Agnes Mary Schmeling

December 17, 1919 - October 9, 2018

Agnes Mary Schmeling, age 98, of Beach, North Dakota passed away on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at St. Benedict’s Health Center in Dickinson, North Dakota. Visitation will be held from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM and 5:30 until 6:30 on Friday, October 12, 2018 at St. John’s Catholic Church with a Vigil Service held at 6:30 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 A on Saturday, October 13, 2018 with Father Dan Berg officiating. Silha Funeral Home of Beach has been entrusted with the arrangements. Agnes was born on December 17, 1919 to Mathew and Anna (Hardy) Krause at the family farm south of Sentinel Butte, North Dakota. She attended Lundin Country School through the fourth grade and then continued her education in Sentinel Butte, staying at various places to be closer to school. She graduated from Sentinel Butte High School with the class of 1937. After graduation, Agnes spent time in Appleton, Wisconsin working at Woolworth’s and attending night classes for secretarial work. Agnes returned to the area and worked at the ASC office. She was united in marriage to Louis Schmeling in Golva, North Dakota September 14, 1940. The couple lived on a farm east of Golva near five points and then bought and moved to the Harry Funk farm near the Alpha community, where they raised their eight children. They later purchased the Higgins and Charley Pierce ranch and Matt Krause farm. In 1983, they built a new home in Beach and moved there. Agnes missed her family at the farm, all the animals and joys of busy farm life. She filled this void by reaching out and doing volunteer work in many areas, besides caring for her home, garden and three lots. Agnes was an active member of a Homemaker’s Club, chairperson for St. Anne’s Guild, a president, co-president and secretary of the Beach Garden Club and spent many hours helping with the county fair, as well as giving dance lessons and helping at the county agent’s office. She gave her time and resources to provide a better life for those around her. Agnes was dedicated to the beautification of her community and the joy and happiness of the people that lived there. She worked many hours in gardens and yards in the community and took flowers and baked goods to many town people, seldom forgetting a birthday of anyone she knew, often with a decorated birthday cake. She would bring roses in rose bowls to each resident at the Manor (and hospital until it closed) and every other day clean the vases and replace them with fresh roses from her garden. Agnes enjoyed people, dancing, flowers and never had a dull moment. She said it helped her from getting depressed after the children were gone. In March of 1991, she was nominated by the Golden Valley Soil Conservation District for “Take Pride in America” project and received a state award for her volunteer work from Governor George Sinner at a capitol ceremony in Bismarck. She was nominated there to be considered for a national award and as a winner was invited to the White House to receive her award from President Bush. She was asked by many people “Where do you get your energy?” and was known as the “Flower Lady” around Beach. Agnes is preceded in death by her parents, Mathew and Anna Krause; her husband, Louis Schmeling; her sisters, Helen, Mary, Florence and Ethel; four infant brothers; two grandsons and one great granddaughter. Agnes is survived by her sons, Robert (Sherry) Schmeling of Beach, Donald (Debbie) Schmeling of Dickinson and Dean (Tracy) Schmeling of Dickinson; her daughters, Marvel (Dan) Schumacher of Sentinel Butte, Marilan Schaefer of Billings, Montana, Colleen (Gary) Hutchinson of Taylor, North Dakota, June (Mike) Strommen of Elgin, North Dakota and Patty Schmeling of Golva; nineteen grandchildren; nineteen great grandchildren; four step grandchildren and six step great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. John’s Kitchen Fund. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.silhafuneralhomes.com.